Apple

The marketing hype is all about the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem that will revolutionize how we live. There are conveniences to modern connected devices and home appliances. However, these devices are also vulnerable to attacks by hackers and criminals. The problems being with lax security on the part of the vendor and insufficient safeguards built into the protocols the devices use to communicate. Here are some devices that are vulnerable to hackers:

Router

The most vulnerable item in your household is your router. Unless you have taken measures to secure the device, most routers come with a common administration username and password, a default wireless network name and password. Even your neighbor could hack your router with a little bit of knowledge.

Cameras

Another potentially vulnerable device in your home is the security camera. Most new cameras connect to the internet and use a service to enable remote viewing of the video feed. Unfortunately, some cameras pass the username and password along with the link making it easy for the intrusion.

Door locks

More and more vendors are introducing smart and connected locks that will open or close with a key, combination, or an app. A recent presentation at the security conference DEFCON shows that more than half of all connected locks are easily hackable.

Every year as part of its WWDC developer conference, Apple announces the winners of its Apple Design Awards. The awards are similar to Google’s Material Design Awards, though the apps are not limited to a specific design language. Instead, the Apple Design Awards reward innovative design in any form. This year, Apple held a reception to hand out the awards. Here are three of the ten winners:

Black box

Black box is an iOS exclusive puzzle game with more than 77,000 5-star ratings on the App Store. Black box uses input other than touch to progress in the game, including turning the phone, shouting, clicking and other clever uses of the phone’s sensors. There is no other game, on any platform that uses sound and movement in that way to directly affect objects in a game.

Splitter Critters

Developed by a two-man team out of Vancouver, Splitter Critters uses a unique tearing effect and other gameplay mechanics. The game is a level-based arcade game that players of all ages can enjoy.

Bear

Another app exclusive to iOS, Bear is an app for writing notes and prose. With elegant design, minimalist approach to its interface, and amazing typography, Bear allows the writer to focus on the content rather than the interface. The app itself can handle short notes, articles, essays, code etc.

The seven other winners of the awards are: Mushroom 11, Old Man’s Journey, Severed, Lake, Kitchen Stories, Things 3, Elk, Enlight and Airmail 3. The winners receive additional promotion in the App Store in addition to appearing on the Apple website.